A High School Photographers Journey... Reflections on Retirement.

As a high school senior photographer I had the privilege of meeting some amazing teenagers. Hundreds of seniors and many years later as a retired senior photographer I have the privilege of following some of those young people along their path of life. To highlight just a very few...

There's the basketball player, that went on to play college ball and was drafted by the NBA. He now has a NBA championship ring. However, that is not the whole story. The best story, in my mind, is that he married his college sweetheart, had kids, is close to his family, and gives back to the community he grew up in hosting basketball camps. He shatters the myth of the monied, privileged NBA star causing trouble.

Then, there's the senior that begged me to do her senior pictures when I was way to overbooked and didn't have a opening at all. We solved the problem by getting her dad to take her out of school for the morning and photographed her senior photos when everyone else was studying. Her "knows what she wants, can do attitude", led her to become a photographer herself, paying her way through college with an entrepreneur major. After college, she worked for a start up business before starting her own amazing business catering to the photo/video business nation wide. The back story again...she never forgot her roots, or her friends and family. We became very close. I learned as much from her as I taught her about photography and business at her humble beginnings. Her gratitude for all that she has been given and her fortitude for problems she has overcome (without complaint) makes me so proud to call her a friend and a colleague.

An important one is the now beloved high school teacher. She has moved from one of my daughters best friends in high school, to now one of my most cherished friends, that I call my bonus daughter. Her fortitude for fighting through the challenges she was given in life, rising above it all and succeeding despite the deck stacked against her makes me so, so proud of all her accomplishments. Paying her way through college and grad school, finding love with an amazing man, and creating a life full of adventure, friends, and family that is to be envied. I love this former senior with all my heart.

Finally, there is the senior that met her soul mate around a campfire and followed him for a bit of adventure and van life. They got jobs overseas, continued their adventures throughout Europe and tied the knot at one of their favorite European destinations. I was so appreciative to be invited to the wedding! My husband and I did our own stint through Europe, launching what I hope to be a travel and landscape photo small business. (The image above was from their wedding.)

Although not quite as adventurous (or young and fit) as they are they are, they are living my travel dreams as they take a worldwide extended honeymoon before returning stateside. Their photos are nothing less than stunning!

Again and again I see past seniors succeed that I keep up with on social media. They go on to college.....or not. They get married and have kids....but, sometimes don't. They build careers or stay home with families. All following the right paths for them. Such an added benefit of being a small part of their lives at a turning point in their lives!

Not that it is all rainbows and unicorns. There are some heartbreaking stories of seniors who have lost their lives. Or, those that have lost parents and family members that I met over the journey. I grieve along with their families and attend funerals.

Sometimes, for a few, I went out of my self imposed "senior only" photography photos shoots and photograph engagements, weddings, maternity, newborn and family photography. How lucky am I to be able to follow my passion, made a career out of it and be a part of so many lives?!

We haven't even touched on the fellow photographers that I have met since starting my business. But, perhaps that is for another post as this one is getting lengthly.

In retirement, I am so blessed to continue my love of art and photography by traveling and photographing landscapes and design. I can't wait for what the future holds!